It Had To Be You
by emmytsa
Summary: COMPLETE! Takes place immediately following the 1960's portion of the episode Everything Old Is You Again. A romance between Danny and Mary in 1962 with a little mobster drama thrown in for fun.
1. Chapter 1

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-1-

Danny McCoy returned to the Jubilee after helping Ed dispose of Ray's body only to find the ballroom completely empty.

"Damn," he muttered to himself.

"If you're looking for that girl, she's waiting for you in the coffee shop," Delinda's voice carried from a dark corner of the room. Danny squinted until he could barely make her out, curled in a back booth while someone who looked suspiciously like Frank Sinatra nibbled on her ear.

"Better not let Ed see you, Delinda," Danny called out to her. He'd already had to clean his car out once tonight and he hoped he wouldn't be making a trip out to the desert with Mr. Sinatra anytime soon.

Foregoing the stairs into the diner, Danny jumped over the railing as he spotted Mary delivering an order to a back table.

"I thought this was your night off?" he questioned her with a grin.

"Well, I was on a date, but he just disappeared," she responded, heading back to the counter to remove her apron.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. It was work," Danny apologized.

He hoped she wouldn't ask him too many questions. He had a feeling Mary knew a thing or two about the way things worked in Vegas, but the less she knew about business the better.

"Oh, it's okay. I was just teasing. I figured you'd be back so I came here to wait, but then things got busy so I thought I'd help out," Mary explained nervously.

"Well, I guess that means I definitely picked the right girl for the job, then."

They both smiled at each other before Danny spoke again, "I'm sorry again for missing the concert. How 'bout you let me take you for a drive to make up for it?"

"Oh, I don't know. It's getting pretty late."

"It's not that late, Mary. Come on, one of the guys told me about this great place where you can see all the lights of the strip. It's supposed to be really beautiful at night."

Mary hesitated for a moment before replying. She knew the place Danny was talking about—Lookout Point. She'd never been there--nice girls weren't supposed to go to places like that--but one look into his dreamy eyes and she found herself agreeing to anything.

---

Danny and Mary sat in his convertible overlooking the strip. It really was beautiful up here.

"So how long have you lived in Vegas?"

It took Mary a few moments to answer the question since she was caught off guard by Danny's hand slyly making its way from the back of her seat to her shoulder.

"All my life. You're from Chicago, right?" Mary finally asked.

Danny felt Mary stiffen as soon as his arm was around her, but she quickly relaxed and settled closer to him.

"Not originally, but that's where I ended up. My parents died when I was 15. Ed found me one day on the street hustling for food, took me in and taught me the business."

"He seems like a good guy," Mary responded sincerely.

"Ed's the best. He gets things done and people respect him for it. What about you? Do you have any family?"

"No, not anymore. My mother died when I was really young."

"What about your father?"

"He…wasn't a very nice man."

Noticing her discomfort, Danny decided to change the subject.

"You looked really great in that dress tonight. I think you were the prettiest girl there."

Mary blushed at his flattery. "I doubt that. Did you see Ed's daughter, Delinda? She's so beautiful and sophisticated. I'm just a waitress in a fancy dress."

"An incredibly beautiful waitress," Danny whispered as he leaned closer and kissed her neck. Mary let herself enjoy the feel of his lips for a few moments before she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.

"Danny, what are you doing?" Mary giggled as she stared at Danny's hand which was hovering over her chest—having abandoned its previous position on her shoulder.

"Umm…nothing," Danny stammered, feeling like a kid who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Are you trying to get fresh with me?" Mary asked, trying to sound offended.

"Maybe," Danny smiled as he caught the hint of amusement in her eyes.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Danny leaned in again—his lips making contact with hers. Mary's eyes drifted closed as Danny brought his hand up to her face and tilted her head so that he could kiss her more deeply.

When Mary felt his tongue slide into her mouth she squeaked and her eyes popped open. Danny didn't let her pull away though and she finally relaxed and let him set the pace. Mary's hands, which had been resting on Danny's chest to keep some distance between them, finally began to move up and around his neck. Danny took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her and pull her body flush to his own.

Mary was in heaven. She'd never been kissed like this before. She'd never felt comfortable enough with anyone to let them kiss her like this, but being with Danny felt different somehow. Maybe all the girls at the Jubilee were wrong about him. Maybe he really was a nice guy.

Suddenly, Mary felt Danny's hand move quickly up her thigh past the hemline of her dress and reality came crashing down. In one move Mary pushed Danny away and grabbed the door handle, scurrying out of the car.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked confused as he lay sprawled across the front seat, "I thought we were having a good time?"

"I really like you, Danny, but we just met and I'm not that kind of girl."

Danny sighed heavily and pushed himself to a sitting position, realizing he'd probably lost his only chance with this girl.

"Come on then—I'll take you home," he said, starting the car.

Mary tried to hide the disappointment she was sure shown on her face as she got back in the car—sitting as far away from Danny as she could.

---

The ride to Mary's apartment was made in silence. As they pulled into the parking lot, Mary leapt from the car almost before Danny could stop. He jumped out and rushed after her—catching her just before she reached her door. As he gently turned her to face him he noticed the tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey, what's wrong," Danny asked, terrified he might have actually hurt her.

"I'm sorry about tonight. I'm sorry I couldn't…, it's just… I've never…, but you…I understand if you don't want to see me again," Mary stumbled through the words, feeling hurt and humiliated.

Danny stared at her for a moment before understanding finally dawned on him. Was it possible that in a town like Vegas someone as sweet and innocent as Mary still existed?

When Danny didn't respond right away, Mary continued, "I've heard all the stories, Danny. Everyone told me I shouldn't go out with you, but you were just so sweet…I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not like all those other girls, Danny, so if that's what you're looking for…"

"I know you're not," Danny cut her off, "that's what I like about you."

When she smiled, Danny decided that maybe he had another chance after all, "I'm sorry about earlier. I got a little carried away. Can we maybe start over—how about tomorrow?"

"You still want to see me?" Mary asked in disbelief, "but I thought…I mean, since I wouldn't…you know."

"Since you wouldn't what?" Danny teased.

Mary's face turned red and she stared at the floor, embarrassed. Danny had never seen anything more adorable in his life. He softly lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes.

"Mary Connell, I think you're swell and I'd really like to see you again. How about tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. I was thinking dinner and a show."

"I'll have to check, 'cause I might have plans," she replied teasingly.

"Change 'em!" Danny insisted with a wink.

"I'll think about it," Mary responded coyly, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'll pick you up at 8:30," Danny called up to her as he headed towards his car, knowing she'd be ready.


	2. Chapter 2

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-2-

Over the next few weeks Danny and Mary saw each other almost every single day. While their busy schedules forced them to postpone anymore official dates, they'd had four lunches and six dinners together in the casino so far and Danny always made a point to stop by the diner at least once a day for a cup of coffee and a chat.

Danny enjoyed the easy conversation and their meetings during the day, but his favorite time was driving Mary home every night after work. Even if he had to return to the Jubilee to finish his shift, Danny insisted on escorting her home just so he could kiss her goodnight.

"What's going on with you two?" Ed asked one morning over breakfast, noticing the sly smiles Danny and Mary had been giving each other across the diner.

"Nothing," Danny replied around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Don't talk with your mouth full and don't lie to me," Ed scolded the younger man.

Danny gulped his orange juice to help swallow the huge bite he'd just taken before responding, "Why would you think I was lying?"

"Because I've been watching you two make eyes at each other all morning," Ed gruffly replied before taking a swig of his coffee.

"We've been on a couple of dates, but things have been so busy around here this past week…"

"Cut her loose, Danny. That's not the kind of girl you get your kicks with," Ed's tone was stern.

Danny was stunned silent for a moment.

"It's not what you think, Ed. Mary's special," he finally said.

"Hasn't kept you from chasing every skirt between here and Reno since we blew into town."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Things between Mary and I aren't that serious yet. She's old-fashioned so we've been taking things slow. I really do like her, Ed. I think she might be the one. You know marriage, kids, white picket fence,"

"But until then you'll get your thrills elsewhere?"

"Would you keep it down? She might hear you."

"I thought you said you weren't doing anything wrong," Ed questioned with mock innocence.

"Why are you giving me such a hard time?"

"Because I know you, Danny. How can you even talk about settling down? I've seen you at the bar with three different girls just this week," Ed was beginning to lose his temper.

"That's not fair, Ed. Two of those girls were auditioning for the new show."

"And the third?"

Danny sighed and looked around the diner. When he noticed Mary a few tables away he leaned in close so he could keep his voice low.

"Look, Ed, those were just girls. It didn't mean anything. Mary's not like them."

"You're damn right she's not," Ed's voice was just as low, but no less menacing, "You're walking a thin line, kid, and that sweet little girl over there is the one who's gonna get hurt," Ed dropped a fifty on the table and headed out of the diner, leaving Danny speechless.

Mary noticed the older man's hasty exit and cautiously approached the table.

"Everything okay?"

"Sure—just business. We still on for tonight?" Danny asked cheerfully, trying to not let Mary see how affected he was by Ed's words.

"Absolutely! I can't wait, Danny. I've been looking forward to this all week," Mary responded, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile.

Danny returned her smile as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and headed towards the casino, "I'll see you at 8."

---

The Sands was buzzing. Everybody who was anybody was out and all of them were headed for the Copa.

"I can't believe you've never been here. This is supposed to be the hottest spot in Vegas," Danny spoke loudly over the music as they waited for their table.

Before Mary could reply a group of showgirls passed and a round of giggles followed by several of the girls saying, "Hi, Danny" floated through the crowd.

"Friends of yours?" Mary asked softly.

"Oh, um, they must remember me from the Jubilee. I had to sit in on some of the showgirl tryouts," Danny's reply was weak and he knew from her expression that Mary wasn't buying it.

He was saved from any further explanation by the maitre'd.

"Right this way, Mr. McCoy, your table is ready."

Danny followed Mary to their booth, being sure to slip the guy a few bills for his impeccable timing.

Once they were seated, Danny excused himself for a few minutes while Mary looked at the menu.

"Well, well, well. Little Mary Sunshine all grown up."

Mary's blood ran cold as she recognized the voice. She looked up from her menu and straight into the cold eyes of Bobby Beals. She quickly scanned the room for Danny, but his back was to her. She weighed her options carefully. There was no way she could get out of the booth and past Bobby without causing a scene. She'd just have to stay put and pray that Danny returned soon.

"It's been a long time, Mary. I bet you thought I was gone for good."

"Hoped is more like it. What do you want, Bobby?" Mary spoke with more bravado than she felt.

Bobby's answer was cut off by Danny's sudden return to the table.

"Mary, honey, I want you to meet Lou Segaretti. He's one of Ed's associates from Chicago."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Segaretti," Mary turned to Danny and the older gentleman, grateful for the distraction.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," Mr. Segaretti's voice was deep and carried a heavy Italian accent as he placed a gentle kiss on her hand.  
"And I see you've met my associate Mr. Beals," he gestured towards Bobby who had yet to take his eyes off Mary.

"Oh, yeah. Me and Mary go way back—all the way back to Frankie Fingers—ain't that right, Mare?" Bobby's face contorted with a sneer.

Danny immediately noticed how uncomfortable Mary was and slid into the booth beside her. She reached out for his hand under the table—grasping it tightly in her own.

Before anyone could say anything else the lights began to dim.

"Come on, Bobby, let's let these two kids enjoy the show," Mr. Segaretti gave a slight nod to the couple and headed for his table. Bobby winked at Mary before following close behind.

Even in the darkness of the room, Danny could see that Mary was close to losing it. He quickly put his arm around her and noticed that she was shaking like a leaf.

"Mary, what's wrong? How do you know that guy?"

Mary's breathing was ragged and Danny could tell that she was barely keeping her tears in check.

"Ssshhh, it's okay baby," he whispered softly in her ear.

"I'm sorry, Danny. I can't stay here. I have to go," she tried to pull away from him, but he refused to let her go.

"We'll both go," he kissed the side of her head and then slowly slid out of the booth, helping her out after him.

Mary made a beeline for the exit while Danny collected their coats and her purse. She practically sprinted through the lobby and out into the crisp Vegas night.

Danny waved off the valet as he watched Mary walk down the sidewalk and head towards the strip. She walked for several blocks before finally stopping and turning to Danny—her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry for just running out like that. I just… couldn't stay."

"How do you know that guy, Mary? And who the hell is Frankie Fingers?"

Mary knew she would have to tell Danny about her past sooner or later. She'd just wished it would have been later.

"Frankie Fingers was my father."

At Danny's confused look, Mary took a deep breath, "Maybe I should start from the beginning."

"My father was a small-time crook. That's how he got his nickname—Frankie Fingers. He was never around that much when I was little, but after my mother died… I guess having a ten year old to take care of can put a crimp in anyone's style. He started drinking pretty bad and gambling away what little money we had. He always said he could never catch a break in this town and when he was drinking—which was most of the time-- he'd find a way to blame everything on me."

"Did he hurt you?" Danny asked quietly, but Mary didn't answer. She was silent for a long time—the flashing lights of the strip reflecting in the watery depths of her eyes. Danny knew the story she was telling was difficult to begin with, but he suspected his question had touched upon an entirely different nightmare—one that Mary was not prepared to talk about yet. Noticing her shivering, Danny placed Mary's coat around her shoulders and rested a comforting hand on her back.

After what seemed like an eternity, Mary spoke again, but she still did not answer Danny's question.

"It seemed like he always owed somebody for something, but my father--he was crafty. Somehow he'd figure out a way to pay it back. He'd steal from one to pay another or he'd tell them about some big deal he had in the works so they'd extend his line of credit."

"That's a scary way to do business. His luck was bound to run out," Danny responded, not liking the direction this story was taking.

"Yeah. He got in real deep with Tony Delmoca—that's who Bobby worked for. He owed him almost 50 big ones."

As Danny let out a slow whistle, Mary walked towards a bench and took a seat.

"Tony wouldn't let him weasel his way out of it this time. He told my father there was only one thing that he would accept instead of money."

Danny's eyes met hers in the dim light from the street. He knew what she was going to say and the thought made him sick.

"Tony wanted me."

"How old were you?" Danny whispered in disbelief.

"Sixteen," Mary paused to let Danny recover. She'd never told this story to anyone, but somehow she felt the need to tell Danny everything.

"Being the louse that he was, my father jumped at the chance. He didn't even think twice about turning me over to Tony. Bobby was the one who came to pick me up—I screamed and tried to fight, but he was too strong."

Noticing how upset Mary was becoming, Danny sat on the bench and put his arm around her. She closed her eyes for a moment and let Danny hold her. Once her emotions were under control she went on.

"He tried some stuff with me in the car, but I somehow convinced him that Tony would kill him if he showed up with damaged goods."

"What happened when you got there?"

"I guess someone was looking down on me that day. When we got there the place was crawling with cops. Turned out Tony had messed with the wrong person—somebody from Kansas City wasn't too happy with Tony's Vegas operations so they took him out. They walked into his house and shot the place up--killed Tony and a couple of his guys. Bobby was worried he'd be next so he took me and headed out of town. I knew I had to get away from him. He'd already made his intentions clear and now with Tony out of the picture there was no doubt in my mind what he was going to do with me. When we got to the edge of town he stopped to make a phone call. I took off running and never looked back," the last part of the story poured out of Mary in a rush. She couldn't believe the huge relief she felt at finally getting it all out.

"Please tell me you didn't go back to your father."

"No! I couldn't. If he sold me out once, I knew he'd do it again. I'd been working at this diner downtown for awhile. This sweet old widow who'd been one of my customers took me in--Della. She didn't have much, but together we got by. I was so worried my father would find me so I switched jobs and schools--tried to fly under the radar. One day I heard some people at the diner talking about Frankie Fingers. Turns out he'd crossed the wrong person again, but this time he'd gotten himself killed," Mary shuddered as she remembered how she'd felt that day. She'd beaten herself up so many times about it. He was her father, she should have felt something—sadness, regret, guilt--but Mary could never bring herself to feel anything but relieved.

"What happened to Della?" Danny's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"She died the day I turned eighteen."

"And you've been on your own ever since?" Danny's voice was filled with awe.

"Yeah," Mary's voice was quiet, "But now that Bobby's back... Danny, what if he wants to collect on my father's old debt?"

"That's not going to happen, Mary," Danny assured her, "He's just trying to show off. I'll make sure he knows you're my girl now and to stay clear."

"Is that what I am?"

"Do you want to be?" Danny asked, hopeful.

"Yeah, I think I do," Mary responded with a small smile--a smile that matched Danny's as he leaned down and softly touched his lips to hers.


	3. Chapter 3

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-3-

Danny sat patiently on a bench outside Mac's Deli, his face hidden by the newspaper he was reading. The bell on the door indicated someone was exiting and it only took a slight flick of his wrist to move the corner of the paper aside and determine that it was just the person Danny was looking for. He folded the paper and laid it on the bench as he jumped up to follow the man down the street.

Bobby walked briskly toward his car. He'd been out all morning collecting "rents" from various businesses on the strip and Mac's was his last stop. He stuffed the last bite of Reuben into his mouth as he reached for his keys. Just as he opened the door to his car a hand shot out and slammed it shut. Startled, Bobby whipped around ready for a fight, but there was little he could do as he felt a hand slide under his jacket and grab his gun.

"Hey, Bobby. Long time no see," Danny's voice was cheery as he smiled down at the shorter man. Bobby heard the clink of bullets hitting the ground as Danny quickly unloaded all the rounds from his gun and handed it back to him.

"Hi, uh, Danny, right?" Bobby's voice sounded unsure as he reholstered his weapon.

"Yeah. Danny McCoy. We met a few nights ago at the Copa," Danny's voice was still light, disguising the rage he felt at the sight of someone who had caused Mary pain.

"Sure, I remember now. What can I do for you?" Bobby asked, regaining a bit of his bravado and trying to establish some physical distance between himself and Danny.

"I think you know why I'm here, Bobby."

"Little Mary Sunshine," Bobby chuckled, "I must say it was a surprise running into her after all this time. Did she fill you in on our little history?"

"She told me enough."

"Oh come on, McCoy. Just because you're dipping your pen in that well now--don't act like you wouldn't have done the same back then."

The gangster's sudden smugness enraged Danny and he grabbed Bobby hard by the arm—twisting it until he heard it crack and slamming him hard against the hood of the car. Bobby screamed in agony as Danny tightened his grip.

"That's the difference between you and me, Bobby. I don't need to force a girl to do anything."

Danny leaned in until his lips were only a breath away from Bobby's ear and spoke in a low and menacing tone, "Now, I'm warning you. If you so much as think about Mary again, you'll be doing a swan dive off the Hoover Dam. Are we clear?"

When Bobby didn't respond right away Danny gave his injured arm another twist.

"Aaahh! Yes! We're clear," Bobby spat out.

"Good. It's been nice talking to you, Bobby," Danny said as he quickly released the man, letting him slide to the ground.

"Hopefully, we won't meet again," Danny said as he straightened his jacket and walked purposefully to his car, anxious to get back to the casino.

---

"So, how was your day? Anything exciting?" Mary asked Danny as they waited for their burgers at the malt shop.

"Not really. How about you?"

"I had an interesting visitor. Doris Brennan, Ray's wife. She wanted to know if I'd heard from him. Apparently, he's been missing since the night of the Sinatra concert. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Danny?"

Danny took a deep breath before replying, "Listen, Mary, you know better than most people how things work in Vegas. Ray probably just made enemies with the wrong people."

"Ray was not a nice guy, Danny. I know that, but I would hate for anyone to get hurt because of me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Baby, I understand, but you need to understand something too," Danny took both of her hands in his and looked her straight in the eyes, "You're very important to me and if I feel like you're in danger, I'm going to protect you no matter what."

Mary's eyes filled with tears and it took a moment before she trusted her voice to respond, "You're important to me, too. I never thought I'd feel like this, but you're all I have, Danny, and if something happened to you…"

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Mary," Danny quickly cut her off, pulling her hands to his lips so he could pepper them with kisses. He leaned his forehead against their joined hands and breathed in the scent of her hand cream. He recognized it as the one he'd picked up for her last week when he'd gone to LA.

"Ray was connected, Danny. Bobby is too," at the sound of that name Danny glanced up. Mary's look told him she knew exactly where he'd been this morning, "What if they come after you?"

"Mary, everyone in this town is connected. Ed's got my back. I promise," Danny leaned over the table and kissed her softly on the mouth, "now, let's talk about something else."

Mary wasn't too happy that Danny had ended her argument, but she decided it was an argument she probably wasn't going to win.

"So, Miss Connell, what are your plans for the holidays?" Danny asked with a grin as he leaned back so the waitress could deliver their food.

"I hadn't really thought about it. It's always just me so I usually don't do anything special."

"Well, that's going to change. Ed and his wife are having a huge party Christmas Eve and we're invited."

"Both of us?"

"Of course, both of us!"

"But…"

"No 'buts'. We're going."

Mary smiled as Danny took a huge bite of his burger. For the first time since she could remember she was actually excited about the holidays. Maybe it was because this year she had someone to spend it with.


	4. Chapter 4

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-4-

"Merry Christmas, you two. Don't you look stunning, Mary. And, Danny, handsome as ever," Ed's wife Jillian gushed as she ushered them inside.

"Thank you for having us, Mrs. Deline. You have a beautiful home," Mary responded.

"Please call me Jillian, dear," she replied as the butler took Mary's coat and purse, "This place is way too big if you ask me, but Eddie likes to entertain. The guys are out by the pool, Danny. I'll make sure Mary gets introduced."

"Great. I'll see you in a little while," Danny said as he gave Mary a quick peck on the cheek and headed towards the back door. She looked anxiously after him as Jillian took her by the arm and steered her towards the rest of the partygoers.

"Don't worry, dear, he won't go far. Besides, I've been dying to meet you. You know, Danny can't stop talking about you," Mary blushed at Jillian's words as they headed towards what Mary could only describe as the lion's den.

After being introduced to so many people in such a short period of time Mary's head was spinning. She was usually good with names and faces, but the sheer volume of people she'd met tonight would make remembering them near impossible.

For the last half hour or so Mary had been chatting amicably with Mr. Deline's mother. The woman was extremely charming and had instantly put Mary at ease.

"MARY," Delinda squealed as she floated into the room, "I'm so glad you're here. Gramma, you don't mind if I steal Mary for awhile, do you?" she asked before grabbing her new friend by the hands and pulling her to her feet.

"Of course not, dear. Mary, be sure to tell that fellow of yours to come say 'hello'."

"I certainly will, Mrs. Deline. It was a pleasure meeting you," Mary responded politely as Delinda dragged her towards the other room. She caught site of Danny through the patio glass and he gave her a smile and a wink before going back to his conversation.

"Delinda, where are we going? What if Danny comes looking for me?"

"Believe me, Mary, if Danny wants to find you, he will. Besides, they're out there smoking cigars and talking business or sports or whatever it is they talk about at these things. It could be hours…. I found her!" Delinda happily announced to everyone as she and Mary entered the dining room.

Mary suddenly felt like she was having some sort of weird dream where she was standing in front of the class in her underwear. There were five women seated around the table, clouds of cigarette smoke surrounding them, and they were all staring at her.

"You've met everyone already, right Mary?" Delinda asked cheerfully.

Before she could respond, a tall brunette in the corner cut in, "We all want to know your secret, Mary."

"Yeah, how have you managed to keep Danny McCoy interested for almost two months?" a shorter blond picked up the conversation, "As long as I've known him, he's never stayed with one girl for more than a week."

"That's not true. We dated for almost two," one of the other girls chimed in, offended.

Mary looked around the room horrified. She knew Danny had been with a lot of girls, but to be face to face with all these women was something she wasn't prepared for.

Delinda immediately noticed Mary's discomfort and tried to rescue her, "Hey, enough already. I didn't bring her in here so you could embarrass her. I'm sure she'd rather not hear about Danny's past indiscretions."

"You must be a dynamo in the sack," a woman in the back with pale skin and jet black hair commented pointedly.

Mary stood in stunned silence, her face turning several shades of pink as she looked down at the floor—praying the carpet would swallow her whole. Sensing Mary's extreme unease at the comment, the woman laughed, a violent, barking laugh that made everyone in the room cringe. She extinguished her cigarette and crossed the room to stand in front of Mary.

"That's not it at all, is it, sweetie?" she said as she held Mary's chin in her hands so she could look into her eyes.

"Leave her alone, Monica," Delinda warned the older woman.

Monica released her and turned to the others in the room, "You all gave it up too easy, girls. The boy just needed a bit of a challenge."

Some of them nodded their heads in acknowledgement while a few others exchanged sly looks of understanding.

Mary tried desperately to control her breathing as Monica looked at her again and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear, "and once he's gotten what he wants--he'll be back on the market."

Mary turned and fled—heading straight for the ladies room with Delinda hot on her heels. Realizing Mary probably needed some privacy Delinda grabbed her by the hand and led her upstairs. Once inside the powder room, Mary braced both hands on the sink and took several deep breaths, trying to get rid of the sick feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

"You're friends with those people?" she finally asked Delinda who was seated on the edge of the tub.

"Well, no, not really, but there's no one else to hang out with at these things. But…now I have you, so… Look, Mary, I'm so sorry. When they said they wanted to meet you I had no idea they'd be so catty."

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have let that woman get to me like that."

"Don't pay any attention to what Monica says. She's just jealous. She's been trying to land Danny for years and he keeps turning her down."

"But all those other girls..."

"Danny's no angel, Mary. I'm sure you knew that going into this thing, but I can tell he really likes you."

"How do you know?" Mary asked, genuinely curious.

"I just know," Delinda told her sincerely.

Mary wasn't so sure anymore. She'd spent most of her life keeping people at a distance because she was so scared of getting hurt. She'd taken a chance by letting Danny into her heart and the fear had increased ten fold. Maybe it was time she took an even bigger chance. At least then she'd know for sure where she stood.

---

"You've been quiet. Did you not have a good time?"

Mary had rejoined the party just in time for her and Danny to say their goodbyes and the ride home had been mostly silent.

"It was fine. The Delines are very nice," Mary's voice was distant.

"Yeah, they're great, aren't they?" Danny responded as he turned onto Mary's street, "So, Mike and Delinda said they'd be over about noon tomorrow. Is that okay?"

Since Mike and Danny did not have any family in town Mary had volunteered to cook for the three of them and they'd jumped at the offer. When Delinda heard of their plans, she'd invited herself as well.

"That should be fine. I'll put the turkey in early so it'll be ready by then," Mary told him distractedly as they pulled up to her apartment.

Danny hopped out of the car and jogged around to Mary's door, opening it and helping her out. He rested his hand on her back as he led her up the steps to her apartment where an awkward silence greeted them at the door.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" Mary asked quickly before she lost her nerve.

"Sure," Danny's response was hesitant. Of course since they'd been going out he'd been up to Mary's apartment several times, but something about tonight seemed different. She seemed different and he wasn't so sure that was a good thing.

As soon as they were through the door Mary headed for the kitchen and pulled out the only bottle of liquor in the house—a twelve year old Scotch someone had given her a few years before. She poured two glasses, downing one of them with a grimace before Danny could even pick up his own. Ignoring his questioning gaze, Mary quickly poured another and headed for the sofa, stepping out of her shoes along the way.

"You okay?" Danny asked, unsure.

Mary finished her second drink and turned to Danny. Without answering his question she threw her arms around him and attacked his mouth with her own. His drink dropped to the floor as he returned her kiss—cradling her face with both of his hands. Mary's hands worked their way up Danny's chest and down his arms--pulling his jacket off his shoulders as she went. They moved towards the sofa, never once breaking contact. When Danny's legs hit the couch he fell backward, holding Mary as she stumbled awkwardly into his lap. Danny's hands roamed her body as Mary's fingers worked feverishly on his shirt buttons. Before he even realized what was happening she had them undone and began pulling the shirttails from his waistband.

"Mary, baby, slow down," he told her breathlessly.

"I thought this was what you wanted."

"I do, but… I thought you wanted to take things slow."

"I just want to get it over with," Mary responded as she stood up and headed for the kitchen to pour another drink, Danny following close behind.

"No more scotch," he told her forcefully as he snatched the bottle out of her hands.

Mary stared at her glass where it sat empty on the counter—tears pooling in her eyes.

"Tell me what's wrong," Danny pleaded.

The stress of the evening coupled with the effects of the alcohol hit Mary all at once and suddenly she could no longer hold her tears at bay.

Danny turned her body and held her head to his chest, "Shh, baby. Please don't cry. You know I can't stand it."

"I'm sorry. I just… needed to know for sure," she sobbed.

"Know what? Mary, what the hell happened tonight?" Danny's words were harsh, but his tone was anything but.

"It doesn't matter," she quietly replied, suddenly very tired.

"Of course it matters. Look how upset you are. Did someone say something to you?"

Mary didn't respond. She buried her head in Danny's chest as his arms held her tight. After a few moments, Danny's hand gently pulled her head back so he could look at her face. He realized that any answers would have to be saved for another time. The scotch had taken hold and Mary was barely able to keep her eyes open. Danny kissed the tip of her nose before scooping her up and heading towards the tiny bedroom. He carefully removed her dress-- gingerly guiding her arms through the straps as her head lolled heavily from side to side. Once she was clad only in her slip he tucked the blankets tightly around her before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I used to think I had things all figured out, but now…," Danny sighed as he looked at Mary's innocent face.

"What have you done to me, Mary Connell?" he whispered softly as he pushed a stray lock of hair away from her forehead.

"Danny?" Mary mumbled in her sleep, "please don't go."

Danny hesitated only a moment before he stood up and toed out of his shoes. He pulled his dress shirt off and lay down next to Mary—burying his nose in her hair. Danny couldn't help thinking before he drifted off to sleep how right it felt to fall asleep with her in his arms and how much she smelled like home.


	5. Chapter 5

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-5-

Mary slowly tried to open her eyes, but quickly squeezed them shut as the harsh morning sun shone brightly through the window. After a moment she tried again, this time easing one eye open at a time in an effort to gradually adjust to the light.

Once awake, Mary dazedly tried to take stock of the situation. Glancing around the room she realized she was in her own bed and a brief look under the sheet brought her attention to the fact that she was not wearing her pajamas, only her slip and stockings from the night before.

_"What happened to my dress?"_ she thought to herself.

Suddenly, the memories came flooding into her consciousness. She remembered every terrible detail of the previous evening--the women, the drinking and the horrible way she'd thrown herself at Danny.

A sudden crash from the kitchen followed by a string of muffled curse words startled her and she sat bolt upright in bed.

"Danny?" she whispered to herself, surprised that he was still here.

Mary looked around the room for something to cover up with before her eyes landed on a white dress shirt hung over the small chair in the corner. She gingerly picked it up and held it to her face. The scent was a subtle mix of cigars and aftershave, but underneath it was something so comforting—something uniquely Danny. Mary smiled to herself and slipped her arms into the sleeves and pulled the garment around her body.

As she peeked through the doorway to the kitchen she tried desperately to suppress her laughter. Danny was rummaging through the ice box clad only in her pink chenille robe and a pair of black dress socks.

"Can I help you find something?" she asked, amusedly.

The sound of her voice caught Danny by surprise and he quickly stood up.

"Hey, good morning," he said as he crossed the room and leaned in for a kiss.

Mary's eyes grew big and she gently pushed him away, holding her hand in front of her mouth.

"Be right back," she said as she scurried towards the bathroom. She quickly brushed her teeth and walked back to the kitchen where Danny still stood, a perplexed look on his face.

"Sorry. I needed to brush," she offered by way of explanation.

Danny smiled. "Can I kiss you now?" he asked as he slowly brought his face to hers.

"Please do," Mary whispered when his lips were only a breath away.

The kiss was slow and gentle. Mary leaned into Danny as he softly ran his hands up and down her back. When he finally pulled back she whimpered at the loss of contact. Danny pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear as he waited for her to open her eyes, but when she did they were full of tears.

"Danny, I'm so sorry about last night….," she started but Danny silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"Merry Christmas," he said tenderly, kissing her softly one more time.

"Merry Christmas, Danny," she finally replied.

With a quick wink Danny turned away from her and back to the kitchen counter.

"I was going to help you out by getting everything started."

"I didn't know you knew how to truss a turkey?"

"I don't, so it's probably a good thing you woke up when you did."

Mary chuckled as she stepped up beside him and began preparing the bird.

"Danny, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," he said as he hopped up on the counter to watch her work.

"Where are your pants?"

Danny finally realized what he was wearing and how it must look.

"Uhh, you see, … I had a little accident…What I mean is… I spilled something…on my pants. I was trying to make coffee and … then when I tried to dry them by the oven they sort of … caught fire."

At Mary's horrified look, Danny quickly amended his statement, "It was just a small fire. I promise. You can't even smell that something was burning, now, can you?"

Mary stared at him speechless. When she still hadn't responded Danny decided to make his exit.

"Um, okay—so you've got a lot to do here so… I'm going to take off. I need to change and pick up some things and I'll be back later. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I think that's probably the best idea," Mary agreed, still dumbfounded that Danny had wreaked such havoc in the kitchen in such a short amount of time.

Danny headed for the bedroom and returned a few moments later wearing his pants and jacket from the night before over his undershirt.

"Oh, you need your shirt," Mary said as she stepped towards the bedroom to change into her robe. Danny grabbed her hand and spun her around to face him.

"You keep it. It looks much better on you anyway," he told her as he gave her a quick kiss on the mouth.

Mary blushed furiously at his compliment. She had not realized how intimate the simple act of wearing a man's shirt could be until that very moment.

"Danny," Mary called out as he headed towards the car, "I thought you said your pants were burned?"

Danny stopped and looked at her, giving her a sly smile before turning again towards the car. As he reached to unlock the door he flipped the tails of his jacket up—treating Mary to a shameful view of blue boxer shorts through the saucer size hole in the seat of his pants.

---

Danny stepped off the elevator at the Jubilee with a spring in his step. He'd showered and changed into fresh clothes and was on his way back to Mary's. As he passed through the lobby he quickly said hello to several people before being stopped by one of the dealers.

"Danny Boy. How's it going?"

"Going good, Steve. Going good. Tables busy today?"

"Surprisingly, yes. Hey, remember that girl from the Flamingo?"

"The one with the legs?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I ran into her last night and she said to give you this," Steve said as he handed Danny a scrap of paper.

"Lana," Danny said as he looked at the name and number before stuffing it in his pocket.

"Yeah, she sure was a looker, wasn't she? Lucky bastard. Leave some for the rest of us, man," Steve laughed as he slapped Danny on the back.

Danny chuckled humorlessly, not quite liking the way Steve's words were affecting him. A few weeks ago he would have been all over a girl like Lana, but now everything was different. Had being with Mary really changed him that much? The uncertainty that had been lingering somewhere in his gut for awhile started to bubble to the surface.

Before Danny could push the feelings back down, Steve spoke again, "I got an extra ticket to the fight tonight. You wanna join us?"

Danny didn't think twice before accepting. "Sure. I'll be there."

Maybe this was just what he needed--a night with the boys to get a little perspective; just to see if he was really ready to give it all up.

---

"Mary, everything was delicious," Mike said as he sopped up the last bit of gravy from his plate with a roll.

"Really, Mary. I'm so full I think I'm going to bust out of my dress," Delinda added as she picked up her wine glass and plopped onto the couch.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Mike mumbled to Danny under his breath.

"Shut up, Mike," Delinda snapped as she glared at him.

"What? What did I say?"

Mary chuckled as she stood up and began clearing the dishes, casting a wayward glance at Danny who had barely said a word since they'd sat down to eat. Seeing Mary arranging the dishes in the sink, Delinda jumped up and tried to help.

"I'm not very good at this. We always have someone to do the cleaning up for us," she told Mary sheepishly.

"It's okay, Delinda. You're a guest. Please go sit down and visit."

"No, I really want to help," she insisted.

"Okay then, thank you."

The two women smiled at each other as Mary began filling the sink with warm, soapy water. Mary and Delinda chatted as they finished the dishes while Danny and Mike sat on the couch watching television.

"So, man, you give Mary her present yet?" Mike asked Danny quietly, so the girls couldn't hear.

"Not yet. I think I'm going to find her something else."

"Something else? It's Christmas Day, Danny, and you've been talking about this thing for a week. I thought you really liked this girl?"

"I do. It's just…I don't know. Maybe it's too much, too soon."

"Look, when this whole thing started I thought you were crazy, but now. I see the way you look at her. You've got it bad, Danny."

"Yeah. Well, maybe I don't want it," Danny responded defiantly leaving Mike to just shake his head in disbelief.

"Hey, Delinda, you ready to go?" Mike asked as he stood up and put on his jacket, giving Danny a pointed look.

"Sure, Mikey," Delinda said as she came out of the kitchen, "Thanks so much for everything, Mary. We should do this again next year."

"That would be nice," Mary replied, trying again to make eye contact with Danny who was still seated on he sofa, ignoring everything but the TV.

"Goodbye, Danny," Delinda said from the doorway, but she only received a slight wave in return.

Once they were gone, Mary set all the locks and turned to face Danny. She watched him for a few moments before finally asking, "Danny, is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine. I'm just tired," he replied without looking at her.

Mary crossed the room and opened the top drawer of the small dresser in the corner, carefully removing a package wrapped in bright green paper. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the sofa and sat down on the couch next to Danny, placing the package in his lap.

"Merry Christmas," she told him in a quiet voice.

Danny stared at the package for a long time before finally speaking, "You shouldn't have done this, Mary. I… didn't get you anything."

Mary was taken aback for a moment. While in the kitchen, Delinda had let a few details about Mary's gift from Danny slip out. She'd used the word "exquisite" to describe it and she'd also made a point of telling Mary that he'd picked it out all on his own. She guessed now that Delinda must have been mistaken. Not wanting to seem disappointed, Mary swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"That's okay. You've done a lot for me, Danny," Mary told him as she laid a comforting hand on his knee.

"I've got to go," he said as he abruptly stood up from the couch, letting the package fall from his lap.

"Danny, have I done something wrong?"

"I've just got other plans tonight, Mary. I'll talk to you later," he said as he put his coat on in a flourish, something small and white falling from his pocket as he did so.

Mary was beyond confused at his actions since everything seemed so perfect this morning.

"Don't you want to open your gift?" she asked softly, handing him the package again.

Danny didn't say a word—just took the box from her and headed out the door and towards the car. As Mary moved to follow him she finally noticed the slip of paper that had fallen from his jacket. Glancing at the name and number, her hurt and confusion began to transform into anger.

"DANNY," Mary called out just as he reached his car.

He turned to see her approaching determinedly—something defiant flashing in her eyes.

"You dropped this," she said in an even tone as she placed the slip in his hand and turned to head back inside.

Danny stared at the offending object and then back up at Mary's retreating form, before crumpling the paper and throwing it away.

_"Way to go, McCoy. You just ruined the best thing that ever happened to you,"_ he thought to himself before starting the car and peeling out of the lot.


	6. Chapter 6

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-6-

Danny had been miserable all night. He'd begged out of going to the fight with his buddies in favor of sitting at the bar at the Jubilee and drowning his sorrows in liquor.

"What the hell is my problem," he said to no one in particular, "This is what I wanted-- no commitment, no attachments, just me… on my own,"

"Sure buddy, whatever you say," the bartender humored him as he poured another drink.

Danny shot him a dirty look before downing the amber liquid.

"Okay, I'm here. Your message said it was urgent," a female voice said from behind him.

"Sammy! Long time no see…," Danny told the brunette as he glanced at her and then back to his now empty glass.

"Are you drunk? What the hell is going on, Danny? I thought this had something to do with a client," she questioned him, slightly annoyed.

"It does," Danny assured, nodding his head emphatically.

"Well, where is he?"

Danny gave her a slight wave, an inebriated smirk plastered on his face.

"You? Are you serious? Do you realize this is the busiest day of the year for me, Danny. I don't have time for freebies today."

"Ah, ah, ah, Sam. I'm a paying customer," Danny told her as he pulled out a fistful of bills and threw them on the bar.

"Gee, you really know how to make a girl feel special," Sam said, picking up the money and stuffing it in her purse.

"What the hell happened to you anyway? You look like hell."

"I'm celebrating," Danny told her.

"Celebrating what?"

"Freedom, my dear girl, freedom," Danny announced, raising his glass in the air.

Sam rolled her eyes as she perched on the bar stool next to Danny.

"Do you have a cigarette?"

"Of course, I do," Danny gestured dramatically, reaching into the breast pocket of his coat, "in fact I have several. And they're all in my shiny new case. It's even engraved. 'DM' right there in perfect letters."

"Nice," Sam commented as she took one from the box, "looks expensive."

"Probably was. She probably spent her whole damn paycheck on it," Danny said, staring intently at the beautiful gift, "Why would she do something like that?"

"Maybe she likes you," Sam replied sarcastically, taking a drag and exhaling.

"She shouldn't. I'm mean and horrible and she deserves someone ten times better."

"Well, we girls don't always know what's good for us," Sam responded dryly.

"Yeah, well, it's best this way. I mean—I'm not the marrying kind, Sam," Danny insisted.

"Of course you're not."

"And I don't like people making me feel guilty," he continued.

"No one does."

"I mean, who the hell is Mary Connell to tell me what I can or can't do?" Danny said loudly, standing up and knocking his chair to the floor.

"Take it easy, buddy," the bartender said, trying to calm the intoxicated man.

"This isn't the 40's—I can do whatever I want," he boomed, "if I want to bed a hooker, I'll damn well bed a hooker—I'll bed 10 hookers."

"So what are you waiting for?" Sam asked quietly, a look of sympathy on her face.

Suddenly, all the fight went out of him. He leaned both arms on the bar and rested his head in his hands.

"I don't want to," he said, barely above a whisper, "all I want is her."

"Well, then, seems like my work here is done," Sam said as she finished her drink and stood up to leave.

She placed her hand on Danny's shoulder and gently tugged him upright.

"One more word of advice, loverboy. You better get your ass sobered up and start groveling because it looks like Miss Connell's decided to give you a little taste of your own medicine," Sam said as she cocked her head towards the opposite end of the bar where Mary and Delinda had entered with a gaggle of would-be suitors.

Delinda was obviously enjoying the attention, but Mary seemed a little less comfortable. She scanned the bar nervously, but when her eyes settled on Danny and Sam, they flashed gold with anger and hurt. Sam realized instantly what it must look like and she quickly removed her hand from Danny's arm before hastily making her exit, "Call me later, Danny…or… not."

Danny heard Sam's words, but he couldn't take his eyes off Mary's stricken face. She finally tore her gaze from his and turned her attention back to the group, whispering something to Delinda before quickly exiting the bar in tears.

Danny didn't hesitate before trying to follow her, but his progress was stopped by Delinda, "Leave her alone, Danny. Don't you think you've hurt her enough?"

Ignoring her comment, Danny hurried through the lobby only to be stopped again, this time by Mike, just before he reached the exit.

"Woah, Danny, slow down," Mike told his friend.

"Let me go, Mike. I have to catch her," Danny told him breathlessly.

"Danny, you're drunk and you're in no condition to be having any heart to hearts."

"But, she's upset. I don't want her to be by herself."

"She's being taken care of, I promise you. Now come on, let's get you upstairs so you can sleep this off."

Danny looked forlornly around the lobby for Mary one last time before letting Mike lead him towards the elevator.

---

Mary sat on the couch in Ed Deline's office, wringing her hands nervously while staring at the floor. How had her day gone from being one of the best of her life to being one of the worst? When she'd called Delinda not long after Danny left she'd wanted a shoulder to cry on, but her new friend's cure for the blues turned out to be a lot different than what Mary was expecting. She'd insisted they go out on the town—and if they happened to pick up a few nice-looking fellows along the way, then all the better. It was just Mary's luck that they'd run right into Danny.

"Now, Mary," Mr. Deline said as he finally entered the office, "I see one of my best employees running through the lobby in tears I think it's my duty to find out what the problem is."

"Mr. Deline," she started, but was interrupted by her boss.

"Please call me Ed."

"Ed," Mary began again nervously, "I'm sorry if I caused you any embarrassment. You have my word that it won't happen again."

"Mary, you're a good kid and one of the best damn employees I've ever had."

"Thank you, Mr…," Mary started to say, but corrected herself at the older man's expectant look, "I mean, thank you, Ed."

"Do you know that when I first found out about you and Danny, I all but ordered him not to see you?"

Mary's face was crestfallen. Even the Delines thought she wasn't good enough.

Noticing the heartbroken look on her face, Ed quickly tried to clarify, "It didn't have anything to do with you, Mary. It's just…don't get me wrong, Danny's like a son to me, but that boy's left a trail of broken hearts from here to Chicago and I didn't want to see that happen to you."

He could tell his words hadn't made her feel any better, so he decided to try again. "Needless to say, he didn't listen to me. He said you were different and the look in his eyes whenever you walked in the room told me that maybe you were."

"I thought he was different too, but I'm not so sure anymore," Mary replied in a small voice.

"Mary, honey, I know he's done something to hurt you and it probably won't be the last time he makes a stupid mistake, but I've never seen that boy look at someone the way he looks at you. You're good for him and I never thought there would be a woman who would make Danny want to be a better man, but you…," Ed trailed off, searching for the right words, "it's almost like he didn't know that something was missing until he met you. That's probably a pretty scary feeling for a kid like Danny."

"But he doesn't want to be with me," Mary cried, unable to hold back her tears anymore.

"Of course he does. He's just being pig-headed and stubborn. Unfortunately, we men have a problem with that."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do. He was with that woman in the bar. He's probably off with her right now."

"He's not, honey, I promise. He high-tailed it out of there right after you did, but I had Mike take him upstairs and put him to bed. I figured he wasn't in the best shape to be talking to you tonight. Trust me, though, he'll wake up in the morning with as big an ache in his head as I'm sure he'll have in his heart."

Mary was stunned. She'd been so upset and then so taken aback when Mr. Deline ushered her into his office, that she hadn't even realized Danny had followed her out of the bar. She was glad Mike had been there to take care of him though. She really didn't think she would have been up to dealing with Danny at that point.

"Listen, sweetie, it's your decision, but Danny's a good boy--a bit misguided at times, but he means well. He's never given me any reason to doubt his sincerity or his loyalty to me and I'm hoping if you give him another chance he'll never give you any reason to doubt his love."

The tears flowed freely down Mary's cheeks as she realized what he meant.

"Look," Ed began again, "I've got some business in San Francisco the next couple of days. I'm going to take Danny with me--give you two a couple of days apart. Think about everything I said and if you want to give it another go then I'll make sure Danny comes back prepared to grovel."

Mary looked up into the twinkling eyes of Ed Deline and couldn't help but smile back. They both knew she'd already made her decision, but it just might do Danny McCoy a bit of good to sweat it out for a couple more days.


	7. Chapter 7

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-7-

Mary was dead on her feet. She'd had to fire two cooks and a waitress on Monday for stealing from the till, so on top of being especially busy for this time of year she was now understaffed as well. Hiring anyone new during the holiday season had proven problematic so she'd been working double shifts all week to cover.

"Hey, Mary, you off soon?" Delinda asked as she breezed into the coffee shop.

"Yeah, I've just got to finish up a few things and then I'm headed home to change," Mary told her as she finished filling a tray of sugars.

"Oooh, big night, huh?"

"Yeah, Danny's coming home today. I just want to look really special," Mary said, a small smile dancing across her lips. She was so lost in thought that the jar she was filling overflowed and spilled all over the counter.

"Mary, you really should play a little hard to get," Delinda gently chided as she helped rearrange the containers so Mary could wipe underneath. "You're supposed to be mad at him, remember?"

"I know, Delinda, but I just miss him so much. Besides, you're dad told you he was miserable, right?" At Delinda's nod Mary continued, "I think he's suffered enough and I'm just not good at all these games. I just want to be with Danny—that is, if he still wants to be with me."

"Oh, he does--trust me. Daddy said he's about ready to strangle him with all his brooding and pitiful looks."

Their conversation was interrupted by Delinda's assistant from the dress shop, "Ms. Deline, Mr. Burton is waiting for you."

"Thank you, Helen," she told the girl before turning back to Mary. "I better go. Harry wants me to help him pick out some dresses for his new girlfriend. Have fun tonight. Don't do anything I wouldn't do… or anything I would," Delinda said with a wink.

---

As soon as Mary's shift was over she headed out of the Jubilee. The casino was packed with holiday revelers so she decided to exit through the employee door on the side and cut across to the bus stop. She was hoping she could change and be back before Danny and Ed returned.

Mary smiled as she thought of seeing Danny again. He'd sent her flowers everyday since he'd been away—each bouquet accompanied by a note that read simply 'I miss you. D.' There was no doubt in her mind Danny had gotten past whatever fears had sent him running Christmas Day—she just hoped that those fears were gone for good.

Suddenly, Mary was jolted from her thoughts by a different kind of fear. A strong arm grabbed her and pulled her roughly into the alley behind the hotel—a hand covering her mouth before she could scream.

"Don't say a word, dollface," the man whispered in her ear and Mary knew instantly who the voice belonged to. She squeezed her eyes shut as they began to sting with tears. Her meager attempts at struggling were stopped altogether when she caught the flash of a switchblade close to her cheek.

"Ah, ah. Be a good girl now and I won't have to mess up that pretty face of yours," her captor said as he slowly ran the blade under her chin.

When he realized he had her full attention he slowly moved his hand from her mouth to her neck. He turned her to face him and slammed her forcefully against the side of the building, his hand never leaving her throat. Mary was dazed from the blow to the back of her head and she choked out a sob as she stared into the cold, black eyes of Bobby Beals.

"Please don't hurt me," she begged.

Bobby laughed as he pocketed the blade and leaned forward--forcing his tongue into her mouth. When Mary turned her head from him he pulled back and hit her hard across the face and then kissed her again. She whimpered as his hand began to pull at her uniform, ripping the top two buttons completely off.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" a distant voice could suddenly be heard. Bobby turned to see a young man in a cook's uniform coming out of a door at the end of the alley.

"I'll be back, dollface," Bobby whispered harshly, "and if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll make sure little Danny boy ends up just like your old man."

With those words Bobby threw Mary to the ground and headed for the street, disappearing into the crowd of tourists lining the strip.

---

Danny practically sprinted into the lobby of the Jubilee. He was so excited he was bursting at the seams as he headed for the elevators.

"Danny, wait up!"

"No time, Mike. Big plans tonight," he told his friend as he stepped on the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. Ed had given him the night off and he planned to spend every moment of it showing Mary exactly how much she meant to him.

"Danny, stop!" Mike's voice was firm as he stepped inside and pressed the button for the 4th floor. "I don't want you to worry, but something happened this afternoon."

At Danny's blank look Mike continued, "Mary was…"

Just the sound of her name sent Danny's heart straight to his shoes. "She was headed for the bus stop and some kid tried to grab her purse. He roughed her up a little bit, but she's gonna be okay. The doc's with her right now just making sure. It's this way," Mike told him as they stepped out and headed towards one of the guest rooms. "She didn't want to go to the hospital, but she was pretty banged up so Doc Manning said he'd come take a look. He and Delinda are with her now."

"A kid? Are you sure?"

"That's what she said. Didn't get a good look at him though."

Before Danny could voice his doubts the doctor stepped out of a room at the end of the hall.

"Hey, Doc. How's she doing?" he asked anxiously.

"She'll be fine, but she hit the back of her head pretty hard. She's got some mild dizziness and a bit of nausea so I want her to take it easy for a couple of days," Dr. Manning told them as he shook Mike's hand first and then Danny's. "Nice seeing you guys. I'll stop by tomorrow to see how she's doing—assuming you can keep her here. She's pretty insistent on going home."

"Thanks, Doc. I'll walk you out," Mike said as he led him towards the elevator.

Danny glanced down the hall and then back at the door. This wasn't exactly how he'd pictured their reunion, but he was desperate to see her. He had to know for himself that she was okay. Without warning, the door swung open and Danny was face to face with Delinda. She glared at him for several long moments—a glare that made Danny feel as if he was a smudge on her shoe.

"Delinda," Danny began cautiously.

"Hmmph," she shushed him with a raise of her hand before speaking, "I'm still mad at you, Danny."

"I know," he responded, his voice contrite.

"And if it was up to me I'd kick you to the curb, but I'm sure she'll want to see you," Delinda acquiesced.

At Danny's hopeful look she couldn't help but smile, "go on in." Delinda ushered him inside before closing the door and leaving him alone with Mary. She lay on the bed, her head turned towards the window and her eyes closed. Even the angry bruise across her cheek couldn't mar her peaceful beauty.

Danny slowly approached the bed and sat down gently beside her. When he reached up to push a stray piece of hair away from her face, Mary finally opened her eyes.

When Mary felt themattress shift she slowly opened her eyes—expecting to see Mike or Delinda again. When she was greeted by Danny's warm gaze she quickly looked away.

"The doc says you're gonna be fine, Mare," Danny's voice was soothing as he gently brought her hand to his lips, but she still couldn't look at him. Mary had agonized for the last hour over her decision, but it was the only way she knew to protect him. The minute she'd opened her eyes all she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms and let him hold her forever, but instead she gently pulled her hand from his grasp and turned her body away from him.

"Danny, you need to go," she said, her voice laced with a conviction she didn't feel in her heart.

"I know you're tired, honey, but I just wanted to make sure you're alright. We can get together when you're feeling better. I have something really special planned for us," he told her excitedly as he leaned forward to place a kiss on the side of her head.

At the excitement in his tone and his lips on her skin Mary's heart nearly shattered, but she had to be strong—for both of them. "No, Danny. I….I can't do this anymore. I… don't think we should see each other again."

"What?" Danny asked in disbelief. "Mary, sweetie, I know I messed up, but please…please give me another chance," he begged.

"I'm sorry. I can't," her voice broke, but she refused to back down. "Please just leave me alone."

Danny was stupefied. He'd been so worried these last few days that he'd lost her for good, but just before they'd left San Francisco Ed had assured him that it wasn't too late. He had been filled with a renewed sense of hope and had spent the better part of the trip thinking up the perfect way to make everything up to her, but now his worst fears had been realized. He'd lost the one girl he'd ever really loved.

"Danny, please go," Mary said again when he hadn't made any effort to move. Still in shock, he leaned forward one last time and kissed her softly on the cheek. "I love you," he whispered into her ear before standing up and hurrying out of the room.

Mary pulled her legs up to her chest and sobbed quietly. She knew she'd done the right thing, but it didn't make it any easier. Trying to ignore the pain in her head, she stood gingerly from the bed--still a bit unsteady on her feet--and reached for her coat. The only way to protect Danny was to put as much distance between them as possible. Mary slipped on her shoes and carefully opened the door. When she was sure no one was in the hallway she headed for the stairway that would lead her out of the casino and out of Danny's life.

---

Delinda was hanging up a new shipment of dresses when she noticed Danny walking through the casino.

"Hey," she called out to him, "why aren't you with Mary?"

Her question was met with a pained expression and a quiet reply, "She said she doesn't want to see me anymore. I guess I really screwed up."

"Well, I agree with you there, but still…," Delinda trailed off, a puzzled expression settling over her face, "when I talked to her earlier today she was so excited about you coming home and now you're telling me she doesn't want to even try. It just doesn't make any sense. I mean, a girl's allowed to change her mind, but that's a pretty big turnaround."

Danny's brow furrowed as he thought about what Delinda was saying. If what she said was true and Mary really had been excited earlier that day then he was more confused than ever. What had happened in the last few hours to change her mind so drastically?

"It must have been something about what happened with the purse snatcher," Danny mumbled to himself, but Delinda was quick to reply.

"But that's exactly my point, Danny. She's been a real trooper, but Mary had a pretty big scare this afternoon. Why would she push you away now when she probably needs you the most?"

Suddenly, it all made sense and the thought that had been simmering in the back of Danny's mind since Mike had first told him finally became clear. Danny raced out of the shop and back towards the elevators. It was too big of a coincidence that Mary would be the victim of some random attack when there was someone out there who actually wanted to hurt her. It had to be Bobby and Danny was willing to bet that the gangster had made some pretty serious threats. That was why Mary had pushed him away.

The elevator doors finally opened on the 4th floor and Danny sprinted down the hall. He used his pass key to open the door and barged into the room.

"Dammit, Mary," he cursed to himself as he stared at the empty bed, "where did you go?"


	8. Chapter 8

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-8-

"I thought my warning would be enough, but he's gone too far, Ed," Danny had never raised his voice to his employer before, but his worry for Mary had left him with little control over his anger.

"I hear you, kid," Ed replied calmly, trying to diffuse Danny's temper, "I've already got a call in to Lou Segaretti. He's in Chicago, but I promise you we'll get this taken care of. But, Danny, we're not even sure this Bobby character is the one who jumped her."

"Why else would she run? I'm telling you, Ed, she's scared to death of this guy."

"You try her apartment?"

"Yeah, she's not there. She could be anywhere by now."

"Mr. McCoy," Ed's secretary Nadine came running into the office, "there's a Nestor Saldiva on the phone for you. He says it's about Miss Connell."

The minute he realized she was gone, Danny had put the word out to everyone he knew to keep a look out for Mary. Nestor was a bell boy at the Jubilee who moonlighted as a porter at the bus station. Danny didn't hesitate before grabbing the phone on Ed's desk, "Nestor?"

"She's here, Mr. McCoy," Nestor told him in a heavy Spanish accent, "She just bought a ticket to Denver, but you better hurry. The bus leaves in fifteen minutes."

"I'm on my way," Danny said as he dropped the phone back in the cradle and ran out of the office, not even stopping to give Ed an explanation.

---

When Danny pulled into the station, Nestor was waiting for him.

"Did I miss it?" he asked, frantic.

"The bus left, but she did not get on. She's over there," the young man told him as he pointed towards a bench near the pay phones.

Danny's heart broke when he saw her. Mary sat slumped over in the hard seat, her face covered by both hands as her body shook with sobs. He walked until he was standing right in front of her. The sound of his shoes alerted her to a presence and Mary slowly removed her hands from her face--staring at his wingtips for a moment before slowly bringing her gaze up to his face. Before Danny could say a word she was in his arms.

"I'm so sorry. I couldn't go--I just couldn't, but I'm so afraid, Danny. I'm so afraid he's going to hurt you," she sobbed almost incoherently.

"Shhh, baby. Everything's going to be alright. I'm here now," Danny held her close, one hand gently cradling her head to his chest as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

When Mary's crying finally gave way to soft hiccups, Danny gently sat them both down on the bench, never letting her out of his arms. "Tell me what happened."

"It was Bobby. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, but…. He grabbed me when I was leaving work. He tried…he..he tried…," Mary struggled to catch her breath as the sobs threatened to consume her again.

"It's okay," Danny told her as he kissed her forehead. "Did he say anything to you?"

"He said if I told anyone it was him he'd kill you. I can't let that happen, Danny. I just can't," Mary said as she buried her head in Danny's chest.

"It won't. Ed's going to talk to Bobby's boss and we're going to get this taken care of," he said, cupping her chin and gently forcing her to look at him. "Okay?"

"But, what if…," Mary began to argue, but Danny stopped her with a soft kiss.

"No. It's going to be over soon so I don't want you to worry about it anymore, but you have to promise me something."

"What?" she asked him quietly.

"Promise me you won't run away again," Danny held her face in his hands and gently touched his forehead to hers. "Promise you'll let me take care of you."

Mary wrapped her arms around Danny's neck, nodding her head once it rested in the crook of his shoulder. Danny held her close, his fingers running through her hair, softly tracing the knot that had formed at the back of her head.

"Does your head hurt?"

"A little," she told him through her sniffles.

Danny turned to place a kiss on her temple. "I want you to stay at the Jubilee--at least until we get this whole thing worked out."

"Danny, I can't afford…," she tried to interrupt him.

"It'll be taken care of, Mary. Consider it a perk of being the restaurant manager," he assured her with a smile.

When she didn't try to argue again, Danny slowly pulled back, glancing around for her bags. In that instant, Nestor approached with a cart.

"Don't worry, Mr. McCoy. I'll take the bags out to your car. You just take care of that pretty lady."

Danny and Mary both chuckled before Danny replied, "Thank you, Nestor, and you can expect a nice bonus in your next paycheck for all your help."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you," the young man told him before heading out of the station with Mary's bags.

Danny and Mary stood a few moments later and followed him, neither wanting to let go of the other just yet. Once they reached Danny's car he opened the passenger door and carefully helped Mary inside.

"You know," he said as he trotted around to the driver's side, "I still owe you a Christmas since I messed up our first one."

"Danny, you really don't have to do anything," Mary told him as he slipped behind the wheel and started the engine. "I'm just glad you're back. I missed you."

"I missed you too, baby," Danny said as he leaned over and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips, "but I've been planning this all week so how about you just humor me. I promise you won't regret it." Danny gave her another kiss before turning his eyes to the road.

"Well, I'll have to check my schedule," she teased as they headed back towards the Jubilee.

"Dr. Kildare?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Wagon Train," she replied with a smirk.

---

Once they arrived back at the hotel Danny took Mary straight to her room with orders to rest for the remainder of the day. He also posted a guy in the hallway outside just to make sure she was safe.

At 7:00 a knock sounded at Mary's door and she opened it to reveal a bell boy with the most beautiful bouquet of red roses she'd ever seen. There must have been two dozen of them and they all sat atop a plain white dress box.

"For the lady," the man said as he handed the package to Mary. When she reached for her purse to give him a tip, he refused, "Oh no, ma'am. It's all been taken care of," he insisted. "Mr. McCoy will be here to escort you to your destination at 8:30."

"Thank you," Mary told him before closing the door and setting the box down on the bed. She carefully untied the bow and lifted the top to reveal the most stunning dress she had ever laid eyes on. Mary lightly caressed the deep red silk as she pulled the garment from the box. Holding it up to her body, she took a moment to stare mesmerized at her reflection in the mirror before spinning around like a princess and collapsing in a fit of excited giggles on the bed. It was perfect and she knew that whatever Danny had planned for tonight would be just as wonderful.

---

Danny knocked on Mary's door at 8:30 sharp. He was dressed in a tuxedo, but his white dinner jacket was thrown lazily over his shoulder. He couldn't wait to see Mary in the dress he'd bought her.

When he saw it in the shop window in Frisco he knew she had to have it, but he wasn't prepared for her to knock him off his feet the minute she opened the door. Danny was speechless for a moment before stuttering, "You ...you're…."

At Mary's expectant look he finally decided on a word, "gorgeous."

The dress fit her like a glove and the deep color against her soft golden skin sent Danny's mind racing to some very inappropriate places. He knew right then and there it was going to be impossible to keep his hands to himself tonight. As he watched Mary chew nervously on her bottom lip under his intense gaze, Danny couldn't resist reaching out and caressing the silky fabric at her waist. He moved his hand around to the small of her back and pulled her body to him—kissing her for all he was worth.

"Wow," Mary responded when he finally broke the embrace.

"My thoughts exactly," he told her with a smile. "Are you ready to go?"

"Just let me get my coat," Mary turned back into the room, but Danny stopped her.

"You don't need a coat," he said as he pulled her into the hallway, careful to lock the door behind them. She looped her arm through Danny's as they headed towards the elevator. Once inside, Danny pressed the button for the top floor.

"I thought we were going out?" Mary asked him curiously.

Danny just smiled and brought her hand to his lips. When the elevator arrived at the top floor he escorted Mary to the end of the hall and opened the door marked 'Presidential Suite' to reveal a virtual winter wonderland.

"Danny, it's beautiful," Mary gasped as she took everything in.

The entire room was white—from the furniture to the soft shag carpet which lay atop the white marble floors. The only color in the room came from a Christmas tree which sat in the corner against the huge picture windows overlooking the city and the orange glow of the fireplace. Twinkling white lights adorned not only the tree, but were strung from one end of the room to the other and a small table dressed with white linens, silver trays and candlelight sat in the corner opposite the tree.

"I'm glad you like it. Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

"Good, then let's eat first," Danny said as he led her to the table.

After their meal, during which Danny regaled Mary with stories of his trip to San Francisco, he led her to the soft white rug which lay between the Christmas tree and the fire. Mary sat and removed her shoes while Danny rummaged around under the tree.

Finally, he pulled out two small packages and laid them in front of Mary before joining her on the rug. Danny reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and glanced at it nervously before looking up at Mary.

"Mary, first of all, I want to thank you for the beautiful gift. I'm sorry I ran out before I opened it, but it really is the nicest thing anyone's ever given me," Danny said nervously before glancing at the paper again.

"Second,"

"Danny, why do you keep looking at that paper?"

"Oh, Ed and Jillian thought I'd mess it up so she helped me write some things down," Danny told her as he held up the well-worn piece of paper, "They think I'm a bit dense when it comes to things like this."

Mary smiled, her eyes filling with tears. "Danny, you don't need to give me some romantic speech," Mary reached out and gently pulled the paper from his hand, setting it on the floor behind them. "Just tell me what's in your heart."

Danny took a deep breath and collected his thoughts before picking up the first wrapped package. "I'm so sorry I didn't give you this before. I bought them weeks ago, but when it came time to give them to you I got scared--scared of how I felt, scared of what it meant… So, for us this gift represents the past."

At Mary's puzzled look Danny continued, "I'm not afraid anymore, Mary, not of us. I love you," he told her as she carefully unwrapped the box to reveal an exquisite strand of pearls.

"I love you too, Danny," Mary said through her tears. "They're beautiful. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Danny pulled the necklace from the velvet box and carefully fastened it around Mary's neck—leaving a trail of kisses all the way across her collarbone.

"Mmmm," Mary moaned as she ran her hands through Danny's hair gently tugging his head up so their lips could meet. After a few moments, Danny pulled away and Mary whimpered at the loss of his warmth.

"Wait, there's more," he told her with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"More? Danny, you shouldn't have. The dress, the pearls…"

"Oh yeah, the dress… I almost forgot. The dress represents the present. You know, 'cause you're wearing it right now."

Mary laughed at his explanation as he handed her the second box. This one was smaller than the first, but wrapped just as beautifully.

"This gift represents the future--our future."

Mary stared at the box, not knowing what to expect. "Go on, open it," Danny gently encouraged.

Mary's hands shook as she carefully removed the paper to reveal a tiny, velvet box. Noticing her hesitance, Danny softly took her hands in his and helped her lift the lid to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. He gave her a few moments before positioning himself on one knee and tilting her chin to look at him.

"I want to spend every Christmas with you for the rest of my life. What do you say, Mary? Will you be my wife?"


	9. Chapter 9

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun. This chapter was originally written with an NC-17 scene,but it has beenedited for this website.If you are over 18 and would like to read the uneditedversion justsend me anemail and I'll send you the link. **

-9-

"Say something," Danny finally urged as Mary sat stunned, her mouth slightly open, eyes fixed on the ring.

"I…I don't know what to say," she stuttered, still in shock.

"Well, I was kinda hoping you'd say yes."

Mary stood and moved to the couch, before responding, "Danny, you don't have to do this."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused as he joined her on the couch.

"I'm not going to leave if that's what you're afraid of," Mary assured him, placing her hand over his own where it lay across the back of the couch.

"That's not what this is about," he told her before anticipating what she was going to say next, "I know this seems sudden."

"Seems? Danny we've only known each other a couple of months."

"So? Ed and Jillian only knew each other for 6 weeks."

"But, Danny…," she tried again to argue.

"Look, Mary, I've given this a lot of thought. I've been with a lot of girls…," when both of Mary's eyebrows shot to her hairline he tried to rephrase, "What I mean is…of all the girls I've known not one of them has ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm with you. Not one of them has ever made me want the things that I want with you."

"What kinds of things?" she asked quietly.

"A house, kids… but mainly… someone to come home to." Danny cupped her cheek, tracing soft circles on her skin with his thumb.

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Probably since the day I met you, but it hit me like a ton of bricks when I woke up with you Christmas morning," he said, leaning forward and capturing her mouth. When he pulled back he realized that Mary's smile did not match his own.

"Danny, I love you so much, but… you and me—we're two very different people. I mean, up until just a few weeks ago you were living the high life with a different girl every night."

"Mary, that's not true. I…," he tried to argue, but she cut him off.

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad about it, Danny. That's just who you are and I'm afraid you're going to end up hating me for taking that all away from you—for being the one to rain on your parade. I mean, you say you want to be with me now, but what happens in a year or two when you're strapped with a wife and a couple of kids?"

"Mary, I'll be the happiest man on earth."

"Danny…"

"I'm serious. That guy you just described. That's who I used to be. It's not me anymore, Mary. It's like the song says,_ 'It had to be you'_. No one else could have made me want these things. I'm not saying that my life has been miserable because that's far from the truth, but that morning when I woke up with you in my arms I knew. I knew that everything that had happened in both of our lives had led us to each other. And by that afternoon I realized that I wanted to be with you and only you and I'll admit that's part of the reason why I went a little crazy and acted like such a jerk. It scared the hell out of me." When his statement seemed to prove her point, Mary opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her again—this time placing his finger against her lips, "But, Mary, the thought of losing you scared me even more."

It was obvious Mary was touched by his words, but Danny realized she still wasn't convinced. "Okay. How 'bout you wear the ring on this finger for now," Danny said as he slowly slid the ring onto the third finger of her right hand, "and once you're convinced that I mean what I say then we'll talk about moving it to the other hand. Deal?"

Mary waited only a moment before responding, a soft smile finally reaching her eyes,"Deal."

When Danny's face lit up, Mary couldn't help but throw herself into his arms. She let him hold her for a moment before she suddenly felt a surge of braveness. Mary turned her head and began to softly nibble on his ear. Danny responded in kind by running his hands up and into her hair, moving her head to the side so that he had better access to the smooth column of her neck. He traced her jaw line with soft open-mouthed kisses, before eagerly devouring her mouth with his own. As their kisses became hungry, Mary pulled his head away from her so she could look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. Do you want me to stop?"

"Danny, I think I want you to take me to bed," she told him, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Mary, we don't have to do this. I want you to be sure, baby."

Mary was nervous and afraid and excited all at the same time, but was she sure? One look into Danny's warm and worried eyes and she had her answer.

"I'm sure."

Danny smiled as he leaned in to kiss her again before slowly helping Mary to her feet and leading her by the hand towards the bedroom. The room was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight and standing before the large round bed, Mary reached out to slowly begin working on the buttons of his shirt. The trembling that had consumed her suddenly made the task difficult and Danny stilled her movements, taking both of her hands in his and bringing them to his lips.

"I love you," he whispered as he placed soft kisses across her knuckles.

Tears pooled in Mary's eyes before she responded, "I love you, too. I'm just nervous."

"I know. It'll be okay. I promise I'll be gentle."

"Oh, Danny, I know you will. It's just…I just want to make you happy." Unable to meet his eyes, she stared at the floor—trying to keep herself from blushing, "I mean, what if I don't… _please_ you," she told him.

Danny grasped her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. "Mary, believe me when I tell you that's not possible."

She visibly relaxed at his assurances and together they slowly began to do away with their remaining clothing. Mary's dress and Danny's shirt soon lay in a heap on the floor as he helped her sit on the bed to remove her stockings. Goosebumps dotted her flesh when he left a trail of kisses down each leg as her soft skin was revealed to him for the first time. When he was finished, Mary stood on wobbly legs and slowly undid the buckle of Danny's belt, easing the pants over his hips and helping him step out of them as they pooled at his ankles. Reaching for the clasp of Mary's bra, Danny was stopped by her hands suddenly crossing in front of her chest. Sensing her uneasiness, Danny kissed her gently while moving her hands away and reaching for the clasp again. "I want to see you," he said. Mary closed her eyes and sighed as the straps slid slowly down her arms-- Danny's hot kisses following each one until they stood bare before each other—only her silk panties and his boxers separating them.

Danny pulled back the covers and helped her lay down before settling himself next to her. Their kisses and soft caresses continued until Mary began to feel the urgency in Danny's touch and the evidence of his arousal against her thigh. Realizing he was waiting for her permission, she kissed him softly on his temple before whispering in his ear, "It's okay, Danny. I'm ready." Danny let out a sigh of relief as Mary positioned herself on her back and helped him move until he was cradled in the valley of her thighs. Removing the last barriers between them, Danny looked deep into her eyes—searching again for any hesitation on her part, but seeing nothing but love and desire reflected back at him.

After their passionate neither one of them was ready to break the connection they'd just shared, Danny was afraid his weight on Mary's small frame would soon become uncomfortable. He gave her one more lingering kiss before moving to the side and pulling her body tight against his own, resting his head on her chest and drifting almost instantly into a quiet slumber. Mary held him tightly to her breast, kissing his head and whispering, "I love you" before succumbing to sleep herself—the events of the day finally taking their toll.

---

Several hours later their positions were reversed. Danny sat with his back to the headboard as Mary's head lay on his chest—her fingers tracing random patterns across his skin.

"Tell me something about you, Danny--something that I don't already know."

"Like what?" he asked, crushing his now finished cigarette in the ashtray by the bed.

"Tell me about your parents."

When Danny didn't respond right away Mary quickly tried to apologize, "I'm sorry. If it's too painful…"

"There was a fire in our building. Mom couldn't get out and Dad went in to try to save her. When I got home from school they told me they were both gone. I ran, Mary. I ran as far away as I could and I never looked back. Ed found me about six months later and well, you know the rest."

After Danny's story, neither said a word for several long moments. Finally, Mary broke the silence, "A penny for your thoughts."

"I was just thinking. My mom would have loved you. I was a bit of a handful--always getting into trouble for something." Danny chuckled at the memory, "She used to tell me that someday I'd meet a nice girl who'd straighten me out because Lord knows she'd tried her best."

Mary smiled as she thought about a young Danny terrorizing his poor mother with his shenanigans.

"It's funny the things you remember," he continued. "I remember I used to hide in the hallway so I could listen to the radio past my bedtime. My mom would be washing dishes or putting on a pot of soup for the next day and my dad would come in and pull her away from whatever she was doing and twirl her around like he was Fred Astaire. She'd throw her head back and laugh and they'd dance for what seemed like hours—just swaying back and forth in that tiny little kitchen…. God, I remember the way my dad looked at her—like she was the only woman on earth. I didn't really know what that meant, but I remember wondering if I'd ever have that—if I'd ever be that happy." Danny stared out the window where the sun was just peaking out above the horizon. "Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?"

"For giving me that feeling. For making me happy."

Mary's eyes once again filled with tears before she propped herself up so she could she could see Danny's face.

"Danny?"

"Hmmmm?" he responded distractedly, fingering a lock of her hair that had fallen across his chest.

"Ask me again."

"What?" Danny looked up at her confused.

"Ask me again," she said pointedly—staring at him until he finally realized what she meant.

"Marry me?"

"Yes," she smiled.

"Yeah?" he questioned with a grin.

"Yeah."

Danny suddenly flipped them over so he was hovering over a giggling Mary.

"Say it again," he demanded playfully, tickling her sides.

"Yes, Danny McCoy, I'll marry you," she laughed.

"Tonight," he added, "say you'll marry me tonight."

At her dumbfounded expression, Danny went on, "It's New Year's Eve—a time for new beginnings. I think we should get married tonight."

"Danny," she chuckled incredulously, "what's the rush?"

"I don't know. I guess when you find the person you want to spend your life with, you really want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

Mary smiled at the sweet expression on his face. How could she deny this man anything? She leaned up and kissed him softly before responding, "Okay."

**_Note: I shamelessly stole the premise for Danny's last line from When Harry Met Sally._**


	10. Chapter 10

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: PG-13**

-10-

Danny was awoken from a sound slumber by the ringing of the phone. Glancing at the redhead still lying peacefully across his chest he reached for it before mumbling sleepily into the receiver, "Hello?"

"Hey, kid. I'm sorry to bother you, but we need you on the floor ASAP. We got a couple of cheaters and we're a little shorthanded so Mike needs some help shaking them down."

Danny glanced at his watch and suddenly realized it was already after lunch. "No problem, boss. I'll be right there."

"Oh. I almost forgot to ask," Ed chimed in before Danny could hang up. "How'd it go? Did she say 'yes'?"

Danny smiled as he remembered everything that had happened last night and this morning. "Yeah," he said, a huge grin spreading across his face, "she did."

"Good! Tell her to get with Jillian. She's already got this whole spring garden wedding thing worked out in her head."

"Um, actually, Ed, we were thinking we'd get married tonight."

"Tonight! What's the rush? So help me God, kid, if you've knocked her up."

"What? Ed, no…," Danny insisted, before thinking about their recent activities, "at least I don't think so."

"Danny, I'm warning you..."

"Look, we just decided we didn't want to wait so we thought we'd go to one of the chapels and get hitched—sort of a New Year's Eve thing—new beginnings and all that."

Danny began to squirm as he waited for his boss' reaction. After a long moment of silence, Ed finally spoke, his voice terse, "Fine, but you get to tell Jillian." Before Danny could argue he was met with a dial tone.

"Damn," he whispered to himself as he set the phone back in the cradle. If there was one thing Jillian Deline loved to do it was plan things and since she considered Danny one of her own he was not looking forward to bursting her bubble.

"Danny," Mary mumbled quietly, finally awake.

"Yeah, baby, I'm here," he said as he softly kissed the top of her head.

Mary pushed herself to a sitting position, careful to keep the sheet wrapped tightly around her. Even after everything they'd shared last night she still couldn't help but feel a tinge of modesty at her current state of undress and Danny smiled as he watched the flush slowly spread across her cheeks when she realized he was watching her.

"Hey," she said softly as she finally met Danny's gaze.

"Hey," he whispered back, leaning in for a sweet kiss. He rested his forehead against hers and ran his fingers lightly up and down her arm.

"I hate to do this, baby, but I have to go."

"Oh, okay," Mary responded, failing miserably as she tried to hide her disappointment.

"Please don't be upset," Danny pleaded, hearing the tone in her voice, "Ed needs me downstairs."

Mary sighed before giving him a gentle smile, "Danny, it's okay. Of course, I don't want you to go, but I understand if you have to work."

Sensing the slightest bit of uncertainty in her voice, Danny framed her face with his hands before asking, "Hey, you still want to marry me?"

Mary closed her eyes for a moment as unexpected tears threatened to spill. When she finally trusted herself to speak she looked Danny square in the eye and asked him right back, "Do you still want to marry _me_?"

Realizing Mary needed the assurance more than he did, Danny leaned in and kissed her soundly—trying to convey everything he felt for her in that one action. After only a few moments, the pair lay tangled in the bed again—their passion threatening to ignite. Deciding that this kiss was quickly leading somewhere they didn't have time to fully explore, Danny reluctantly pulled away as he whispered, "More than anything."

Mary couldn't help but smile as Danny helped her sit up again. "Okay then," she told him, suddenly in control of her emotions, "I'm going to track down Delinda and see if I can find a dress for tonight. How about you meet me at the wedding chapel around 8 o'clock? Do you think that's late enough for you to make it?"

"Oh, I'll be there," Danny told her as he retrieved his boxers and stood to put them on.

"Good," Mary said, quickly averting her gaze from his nude form.

Danny chuckled as he noticed the hand covering her eyes. "You know, sweetie. We're going to be husband and wife soon. You do realize that you'll probably have to see me naked." He quickly pulled on the rest of his clothes and sat on the bed to put on his shoes.

"I know… it's just…I mean, I just need a little time to get used to everything." Even though she knew he was dressed now, Mary still couldn't meet his eyes.

Danny gently lifted her chin, "Hey, I'm just teasing. That innocence is one of the things I love most about you," Danny assured her. With a quick kiss to her nose he stood up and crossed the room.

"8 o'clock?" Danny asked as he headed out of the bedroom towards the door.

"8 o'clock," Mary confirmed. "I'll be the one in white," she shouted so he could hear her in the next room.

At her sassy comment Danny stuck his head back in the bedroom and gave her a quick wink and a waggle of his eyebrows before disappearing again-- leaving Mary giggling as the suite door slammed shut.

---

After showering and changing in her own room, Mary headed down to the dress shop.

"Hey, Delinda, I need a favor," she asked her friend who was busy going through a new shipment of apparel.

"Sure, what can I do for you," Delinda replied, glancing up at Mary. "Omigod!" Delinda exclaimed as soon as she laid eyes on Mary. "You little vixen," the blonde gasped as she took in her friend's appearance, a huge smile suddenly plastered on her face.

"What?" Mary asked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Mary, you're practically glowing. You and Danny did it last night, didn't you?"

Mary's face turned three shades of crimson and she quickly glanced around the shop to see if anyone else had heard Delinda's outburst. "Would you keep your voice down please."

"Aha! See, you didn't deny it," Delinda exclaimed, a triumphant expression on her face. "So, how was it? Did he live up to all the hype?"

"Delinda, I'm really not sure I'm comfortable discussing this…"

"Okay, okay. We'll talk about it later. So, what can I do for you?"

"I need a dress for tonight—a wedding dress," just the words made Mary's face light up with glee.

"WHAT? Mary, that's fantastic," Delinda screamed again, but quickly recovered, "Wait a minute. Why do you need it for tonight? Isn't that a little fast?"

"I thought so too, but Danny's insistent that we get married tonight. He can be very persuasive."

"I'll bet he can," Delinda told her with a wink. "Well, let's just see what we've got."

Mary only had to try on three dresses before she decided on the perfect one. It was a white shift dress with a matching bolero jacket. Delinda called around town and found her a white pill box hat with a netted veil that would complete the ensemble. She was on her way out the door when she heard Danny call out to her.

"Running out on me already?" he asked teasingly.

Mary laughed as she took in his adorable pout. "Of course not, silly. Believe it or not there's only one bridal shop in this whole town that's open on New Year's Eve and they've got the perfect veil to go with my dress. I'm going to pick it up."

"No," he told her firmly. She was so excited that Danny hated to stop her, but he had no choice.

Mary stared at him in shock. Was this how things were going to be? They weren't even married yet and he was already telling her what she could and couldn't do. "What do you mean 'no'?"

Her insolent tone instantly made Danny realize what he must have sounded like and he quickly tried to explain, "I don't want you leaving the hotel--not without someone with you. It's not safe for you to be by yourself right now, baby."

Mary's expression softened as she remembered everything that had happened with Bobby the day before and she reached up to lay a hand on Danny's cheek. "I don't want him controlling my life, Danny. We're shorthanded as it is. I can be over there and back in an hour."

"It's not forever, baby—just until I can take care of things. Give me the address of the shop and I'll send someone over there."

Mary handed Danny the paper she'd written the information on and he stuffed it in his pocket. "Now, promise me you won't leave the hotel without an escort."

"I promise," Mary said, knowing there was no way she was going to win this argument because deep down she knew Danny was right.

---

The couple had agreed that Mike would escort the ladies to the chapel and Danny would join them later after picking up the rings. That way there was no chance of Danny catching a glimpse of his bride until she walked down the aisle. Ed and Jillian had a prior commitment they couldn't get out of, but had insisted on hosting a small reception after the ceremony.

Danny finished up at the jewelry shop and headed back to his car with a spring in his step, wedding rings tucked snugly in his pocket. He was running a little late, but he knew it would all be worth it when Mary saw the beautiful inscription he'd had the jeweler engrave inside her ring. He'd almost reached his car when he heard someone call his name, "Hey, McCoy."

Danny turned around and was met with a hard punch to the face. The blow momentarily stunned him and before he could recover another fist hit him square in the gut. He fell to the ground only to be greeted with a boot to his ribs. Suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed him and tossed him against the alley wall. As Danny struggled to breathe he finally focused on the three men surrounding him. While he didn't recognize the two grunts on the outside, the man in the middle was very familiar.

"Hey, Bobby," Danny croaked, "Long time no see."

"I've been waiting awhile for this moment, Danny," the gangster told him as he pulled out his revolver and aimed it at Danny's heart. "Had to make sure my arm was completely healed so I wouldn't miss. And don't worry about Little Mary Sunshine—I'll take real good care of her."

"Wait," Danny tried to protest, but it was too late. The shot exploded like an errant firecracker and Danny lay motionless as the three men ran off into the night.


	11. Chapter 11

**It Had To Be You**

**Pairing: Danny/Mary  
Disclaimer: I don't own Las Vegas. Things would be a lot different if I did. Also, I was not alive in the 60's so if anything is not historically accurate then I apologize.  
Summary: This story takes place in 1962, immediately following the 60's portion of the episode _Everything Old is You Again_. It's a bit of fluff about a budding romance between Danny and Mary with some mobster drama thrown in for fun.**

**Rating: R for violence**

-11-

Delinda and Mary sat nervously in the waiting room of the Little Chapel of Hearts and Flowers. "What time did Danny say he would be here," the blonde finally asked.

"8:15," Mike replied looking at his watch. Realizing it was almost a quarter to nine he turned his attention to Mary, "He probably just got hung up."

"Maybe he got cold feet," Delinda stated matter-of-factly. When she noticed the icy glares of her companions, she sheepishly responded, "Did I say that out loud?"

"I'm sure he'll be here any minute, Mary," Mike said as he tried to sound reassuring.

Mary nodded her head before taking a deep breath and leaning her head against the wall. Something wasn't right. She could feel it in her heart and it was more than pre-wedding jitters.

As the hands on the clock ticked 9 o'clock, Mary stood up and headed for the door. "I can't take this anymore. Something's wrong. We need to go look for him."

"Listen, you two stay here and I'll head back over to the Jubilee," Mike responded as he put on his hat and coat. "Stay put, okay?"

Both girls agreed as they anxiously watched Mike head out. "I'm sure everything's okay, Mary," Delinda said as she took the other woman's hand in hers. "Maybe he just had car trouble or something."

"Yeah," she whispered, "maybe."

Another thirty minutes passed before Mary grew completely restless. "Mike should have been back by now, Delinda. I can't just sit around here and wait to find out what's going on," Mary said as she walked to the counter, "Excuse me, sir? Can you please call us a cab?"

With a slight nod, the manager picked up the phone and dialed. A short time later the blare of a car horn signaled their ride. The girls headed outside, when the chilly December breeze caught Delinda's attention. "Ooh, I left my scarf inside. I'll be right back."

Mary waited by the cab as Delinda disappeared back into the chapel. "Hello, dollface--fancy meeting you here." Mary's blood ran cold as she turned towards the voice.

Before she could scream, a hand grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with a foul-smelling cloth, plunging her into darkness. The man carefully loaded Mary into the black sedan as Bobby slipped the cabbie a C-note. "You didn't see a thing, buddy. Now get lost."

---

"Delinda, what are you doing here? I was just on my way to get you. Something's happened to Danny…," Ed trailed off as he took in his daughter's disheveled appearance and the tear streaks down her face.

"She's gone, Daddy."

"What are you talking about?"

"She was so worried about Danny…we decided to take a cab. I forgot my scarf… I was only gone for a couple of minutes…I swear!" her tears started again in earnest.

Ed took her in his arms as he led her to a bench in the lobby, "Tell me exactly what happened."

After relaying in meticulous detail all the events of the past half hour, Delinda finally calmed down enough to remember her father's earlier words.

"Did you say something happened to Danny?"

"Yeah, he was shot outside the jewelry store. They've taken him to County Hospital. Mike's over there now."

"Oh, God. Do you think it was the same people who took Mary?"

"Yeah, and I've got a pretty good guess who it is. Let's go—I need to make a call."

---

Mary groggily swam back into consciousness only to find herself tied securely to a bed. She struggled against her restraints but soon discovered it was futile—they were too tight and there was no way she could break free.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to wake up. Luckily you haven't missed any of the festivities," her captor's voice sounded hollow in the darkness, but it still caused a chill to race up her spine.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I can," Bobby replied smugly.

"You know you'll never get away with this. Danny will find you…"

"Danny is dead," he told her, moving to sit on the edge of the bed

"What? No!"

"Yep, shot him in the heart as he was coming out of a jewelry store. After I found the wedding rings it was a cinch to find you. I just went to the chapel closest to the Jubilee and BAM—there you were. Kind of poetic if you ask me—like the poor guy died for love or something."

Mary was stunned. It wasn't possible. Danny couldn't be dead—he just couldn't be.

"Oh, I know you don't believe me so I brought you a little souvenir," Bobby held up a small velvet box, opened to reveal two gold bands—one smaller than the other. Lucky for me, loverboy had this one engraved…_It Had To Be You…_. Mean anything to you, dollface?"

Mary's heart stopped as the sinking feeling she'd had when Danny didn't show up returned and she realized Bobby was telling the truth. Suddenly, she was angry and she lashed out at him with the only thing she could. She kicked out hard with her foot and caught him just below the jaw.

"I see I'm going to have to teach you some manners, Missy" he spat as he recovered quickly and straddled her body on the bed. Bobby pulled at the neckline of her dress, but was unable to tear the fabric.

"Stop, please. Don't," Mary begged as he pushed the hemline up around her waist and began unfastening the buckle of his belt.

"Lou know you're using his place to entertain?"

The sound of the woman's voice caused both of them to look towards the door-- Bobby in annoyance and Mary in utter relief. A sudden flash of recognition passed through both women's eyes, but Bobby failed to notice.

"Lou's out of town, Sam, so what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Show's how much you know. He's on his way back."

"You're lying. He's not supposed to be back for another week."

"Why the hell do you think he sent for me, Bobby? It certainly wasn't a belated Christmas gift for you."

"Great," Bobby said as he stood up from the bed and redid his belt. "Donnie, get the car ready. We're going to have to take this party somewhere else."

"What's Danny McCoy think about you messing with his girl?" Sam asked as Bobby breezed past her into the foyer.

"Danny McCoy's dead so it really doesn't matter what he thinks," he spat, ignoring the anguished cry that sounded from the room behind him.

Sam could do little to hide her flinch at his words, but she kept her bravado, "You killed Ed Deline's best man over some dame? Boy, are you stupid."

Sam's head snapped to the side as Bobby backhanded her hard across the cheek. "Don't you ever talk to me like that. Lou may put up with that back talk, but when I'm in charge things are going to be different."

"You'll never be in charge, Bobby."

As he raised his hand to strike her again a booming voice stopped him.

"ENOUGH!"

Both of them turned to see the source and contrasting looks of smugness and fear crossed their faces. Sam quickly scurried across the room and into the arms of her client who was surrounded by two extremely large bodyguards. "Are you alright, darling?" Lou Segaretti asked her as he tilted her chin to inspect the red mark Bobby had left across her face.

"Of course, Louie. It takes more than a few smacks to get me down." Sam gave him a lingering kiss before turning to face Bobby with a smirk.

"Darling," the mobster spoke in his strong Italian accent, "I'm going to have Viggo take you home. I've got some business to attend to. We'll do this a little later, no?"

"Of course," Sam told him in a sultry voice as she leaned in for another kiss. "Bye, Bobby," she said with a wink as she let one of Lou's bodyguards escort her to the car.

"Marco, check on Miss Connell please," Lou ordered the second man and the burly bodyguard quickly disappeared into the bedroom.

"Lou, listen," Bobby tried to explain but the older man raised his hand to silence him.

"What have you done, Bobby? I told you to leave this alone and you disobeyed me. You know how important Ed Deline is to our business and I don't appreciate getting phone calls from him like the one I got yesterday and I most certainly do not appreciate the message from him that was waiting for me when I arrived this evening."

"I told you before, Lou. McCoy came after me. I couldn't just let that go."

"You brought that on yourself and I specifically ordered you not to retaliate."

"But, boss…"

"No! You have jeopardized my business again by going after Ed Deline's people. I want you to take a walk with me, Bobby," Lou clamped a bruising hand on the younger man's shoulder and led him towards the patio.

As the two men wandered close to the pool, Bobby spoke, "Lou, please, can't we talk about this?"

"I'm done talking with you, Bobby. You never listen."

"I won't make that mistake again, boss. I swear," he pleaded.

The two were interrupted by Marco's appearance at the back door, "The girl's okay, boss. She's pretty shaken up though."

"Put her in the Jaguar, Marco. I'll take her back myself."

Once they were alone again, Lou turned to his young protégé, "What would you do if you were in my position, Bobby--if one of your men had disobeyed you? Gone against the family for his own personal pleasure?"

"I…I.. ," Bobby stammered, but he was stopped by a bullet to the forehead. His body splashed as it fell into the pristine water of the pool, his eyes staring unseeing at the clear Vegas night.

"That's what I thought," Mr. Segaretti responded as he reholstered his weapon.

Mary was curled in the passenger's seat of the small sports car sobbing quietly when the older man arrived. "Thank you, Marco," he said as he took the keys. "I seem to have made a bit of a mess in the pool. Will you be sure to have it taken care of?"

"Yes, sir."

Once Mr. Segaretti was seated comfortably in the driver's seat he reached a hand out to Mary, but she flinched at his touch. "It's alright, my dear. I'm not going to hurt you."

"It doesn't matter anymore," she cried, her voice sounding as broken as her heart.

"Oh, but it does. Your Daniel is waiting for you."

"But, Bobby said…"

"Pay no mind to what Mr. Beals has told you. I assure you he has been taken care of and he will never bother you again. Now, your Daniel is hurt—yes, but he is most certainly not dead. And I've been instructed in no uncertain terms to bring you directly to him."

---

Mary ran through the long hospital corridor towards Danny's room. Once she saw Ed and Mike at the end of the hallway she broke into an all out sprint until she was stopped by Ed's arms around her.

"Hey, hey, slow down. The doc's in with him right now. It'll just be a second."

"I need to see him, Ed. Is he okay? Bobby said he shot him. Was he shot? Oh, God, how bad is it? You can tell me, Ed? Just tell me how bad it is. Is he going to be alright?"

"Mary, honey, calm down and let me get a word in," Ed tried to sound soothing, but it was no use. Mary was frantic and the only thing that would calm her was seeing Danny. As luck would have it the doctor chose that moment to appear.

"He's going to be fine. He's pretty banged up and there's probably some damage to his lung, but nothing that won't heal. I'd like to keep him here a few days, but I'm not sure he's going to let that happen. He's actually trying to get dressed right now so I've ordered the nurse to bring him a sedative. Maybe we can trick him into getting some rest."

"Thanks, Doc. I think I know why he's so anxious to get out of here and I can take care of that in two shakes if you'll just let this little lady through." Ed said as he held Mary firmly, her body having gone almost limp as the doctor listed off Danny's injuries.

"Of course."

Suddenly finding her strength again Mary bolted into the room to find a half-naked Danny trying to balance himself against the bed as he precariously slipped a leg into his pants.

"Danny?" she gasped, trying desperately to control her tears.

"Mary? Baby?" She was in his arms in a second and he winced slightly at the pressure of her embrace on his damaged ribs.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you," she asked him horrified.

"No, it's okay. Don't let go."

After a few moments the extent of Danny's injuries began to catch up with him and he sank onto the mattress—Mary still tucked securely in his arms.

"Are you okay?" he whispered desperately.

"Yeah, are you? He said he shot you in the heart," Mary's voice cracked on the last word and she tilted her head so she could look at Danny's face—tentatively running a trembling hand across his chest.

"He did, but something stopped the bullet," he told her, retrieving an object from the tray next to the bed and handing it to Mary.

Mary gasped in disbelief as she stared at the silver cigarette case she'd given Danny for Christmas—now marred by a bullet-sized dent. "How?"

"Well, I'm going to be really sappy and say that it's because my heart belongs to you and nothing can destroy our love--pretty sentimental, huh."

"How long did it take you to think that up, Casanova?" Mary giggled as she helped Danny get settled back in the bed and snuggled up against his right side just as the nurse returned to give him his medication.

As they watched the fireworks out the tiny hospital window Danny spoke softly, "You know, Ed knows just about every judge in this town. We could probably get one over here to marry us tonight."

"Danny, I think we should wait."

"No, Mary, please," he begged, the sedative beginning to take effect. "If we wait…if we wait you might change your mind," Danny whispered, sounding almost like a frightened little boy.

"Danny," Mary told him as she placed a soft kiss on his lips, "I promise I'm not going to change my mind. But 50 years from now when I show our grandkids the wedding pictures, I don't want them asking why grandpa looks like he got hit by a truck."

Danny chuckled, finally reassured and they both relaxed into a peaceful slumber—watching the last bits of sparkle dotting the sky.

---

THREE MONTHS LATER

"Are you sure this is the place?" Mary asked as they pulled up in front of a charming white house with a perfectly manicured front lawn.

"427 Desert Lane. Ed said this is where we're supposed to pick up our wedding gift."

"You know, Danny. They really shouldn't have gotten us anything. I know Jillian must have spent a fortune on the wedding."

They'd opted for a spring wedding and had let Jillian plan it to her heart's content. The Delines had adopted Mary as their surrogate daughter and had spared no expense on the extravagant affair. Flowers were delivered from California, the cake had been flown in from New York and Delinda had insisted on ordering Mary's wedding gown from Paris—a strapless, floor-length, satin gown with a bolero jacket similar to the one Mary had picked out for their failed New Year's Eve nuptials.

The bride's only stipulation was that everyone from the Jubilee—including Sam--be invited and Jillian whole-heartedly agreed. After the wedding Danny had whisked her away to San Francisco and they'd spent the better part of the last two weeks locked away inside their hotel room overlooking the bay.

"I tried to tell them, honey, but Ed insisted," Danny told her as he peered inside the front window. "It doesn't look like there's anyone here."

"There's a note on the door. What does it say?"

Danny pulled the white slip of paper off the door and read it before passing it to Mary. "It says to check the mailbox. Strange. Why wouldn't Ed just deliver it to us at the hotel." Danny jogged out to the mailbox and opened it to reveal a small white package. He let Mary open it to reveal a set of keys as he opened the card which was attached.

"What does the card say?" Mary said as she stared confused at the keys.

"It says, 'Welcome Home'," he told her, holding up the front of the card for her to see.

"Danny, you don't think…"

Danny's stunned expression matched her own as he replied, "He bought us a house, Mare."

Mary walked dazedly back up the sidewalk towards the front door—keys dangling from her hand as Danny followed closely behind. She slid the key in the lock and pushed the door open. Danny finally opened the card as Mary peered inside the fully-furnished home, still not sure that all of this was real.

Suddenly, Danny chuckled and scooped Mary up, kissing her firmly on the mouth.

"Danny, what are you doing?" she asked startled.

"I'm following orders," he told her as he moved them across the threshold and kicked the door closed behind him. As Danny carried his now giggling wife towards the bedroom, the card fluttered to the floor, revealing Ed's note inside, '_Now get to work on my grandchildren._'

THE END.


End file.
